Buddy Up For More Time Off

The smartest animals hunt in packs and that goes for gym rats, too. Every seasoned weightlifter will attest to the benefits of having a pal to spot you on those last few reps, and there’s more to it than feeling brave under the barbell.

In fact, research conducted by the University of Kansas found the competitive nature of working with a partner can spur you on to train up to 90% harder.

But there’s another good reason to lift en masse and that’s so you can spend more time out of the gym doing something far more exciting instead. A study in the Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology found that forced reps – where a spotter assists with the evacuation of the barbell from the vicinity of your windpipe for a final wobbly press – are one of the best ways to trigger a serious spike in testosterone levels.

Why does that matter? For one, we’re talking about a resulting boost in muscle protein synthesis every time you use the tandem technique. And for another, that’s enough to justify an extra day off the weights floor to let your muscles repair and grow.

Yes, forced reps are tough and your ‘buddy’ will hurt you. But as far as friends with benefits go, these ones are pretty covetable.

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